Toe-lasting mechanism.



x ,J. W. RYBERG.

TOE LASTING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 16. 1914 1 09,527. Patented Oct. 10, 1916.

MT/VELSSE MnMM ;: TED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN W. RYBERG, OF BROCKTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T UNITED MACHINERY COMPANY, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

TOE-LASTING MECHANISM.

Application filed January 16, 1914.

i To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN W. RYBERG, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brockton, in the county of Plymouth and State of Massachusetts, have invented cer tain Improvements in Toe-Lasting Mecha nisms, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like reference characters on the drawings indicating like parts in the several figures.

This invention relates to lasting mechanisms and particularly to toe lasting mechanisms of the type employed in bed lasting machines.

In a well-known type of machine, which has been extensively used. for making mens shoes, called the Chase lasting machine, there is employed a retarder of the type shown in United States Letters Patent No. 364,088, granted May 31, 1887, for clamping the upper materials outspread upon the top face of the toe embracing wipers while the last is depressed relatively to the wipers for stretching the upper over the toe of the last. This is a particularly effective combination for lasting broad toed shoes such as mens shoes. The Chase machine has been largely superseded by a machine built in accordance with United States Letters Patent No. 1,018,477, granted Feb. 27, 1912 to Matthias Brock, the toe embracing wipers of which are raised to wipe up along the side faces of the toe of a last which is held vertically stationary in the machine. With this organization it is a common practice for the operator to spread the marginal portion of the upper out over the wipers and hold it with his thumb. This procedure is satisfactory in lasting womens shoes the toes of which are relatively narrow and which therefore present a comparatively small amount of upper material to be held. This practice is not, however, fully satisfactory in lasting broad toed shoes such as mens.

It is the object of this invention toprovide a machine of the type shown in the Brock patent with a mechanical device for holding the upper outspread upon the toe wipers, and I have aimed to vice which shall have, as far as possible, capacity for adapting itself to the material and to the conditions arising during the operation of the toe wipers so as to obtain approximately the results wh ch the perat r ing over the toe.

roduce a de- Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Oct 10, 1916 Serial No. 812,476.

obtains on womens work while holding the upper material with his thumb.

The Chase retarder is substantially rigid and held immovable upon the upper during the operation of the wipers and as a result it frequently happens that its action is too harsh or severe and the upper is consequently pulled more than it should be, sometimes resulting in the bowing or in the bending forwardly of the tip seamtoward the toe of the las An important feature of the invention consists, therefore, in an upper-holding device which is resilient and through which the operator can exert upon the upper only suflicient pressure effectively to hold the upper against the wipers during the wiping operation and is prevented from exerting a pressure sufficiently great to be injurious or to result in bowing of the tip seam; Preferably the pressure upon the upper is controlled by one hand of the operator while with the other hand he is manipulating the wipers and'he may be moving thewipers upwardly with his foot. The resilience of the'illustrated construction of the device allows it to adapt itself to the different por tions of the surface of the upper and to conform to the size of the shoe being operated upon and also permits its end portions to close inwardly toward each other with the wipers as the latter, are closed. As shown the upper engaging member of the device is a resilient wire or a small bowed rod which is adapted to grip the upper in the angle between the wipers and the upstanding edge face of the wiper holders, is adapted to conform to the contour presented by the wipers and their holders and to yield as the wipers are closed.

Another feature of the invention is found in the mounting of the holding device by which it is permitted to move lengthwise of the shoe as the wipers are advanced in wip- For this purpose the upper engaging element of the holding device is shown as provided with a sleeve slidingly mounted on a supporting rod and the operator, with hishand on this sleeve, simultaneously controls the downward and the forward pressure of the holding device upon the work. I

A further feature of the invention is found in the mounting of the holding de- ViQe f movement into upper holding position by engagement first with the upper in the middle of the toe and advancing and spreading movement laterally over the upper to lay it out flat and smooth upon the top face of the wipers so that the fullness of upper material is quickly and evenly distributed and the upper is maintained smooth and free from wrinkles while being stretched and wiped up and over the edge of the shoe bottom by the wipers.

These and other features of the invention including certain details of construction and combinations of parts will appear in connection with the following description of the preferred embodiment of the invention and will then be pointed out in the claims.

Figure 1 of the drawings shows a perspective view of the toe portion of the lasting machine built in accordance with said Brock patent and equipped with the present invention. The forepart of the shoe is shown as held rigidly clamped between the toe rest and the holddown, and the wipers are shown in their fully closed position. Fig. 2 shows the relation of the wipers and holding device to the shoe before the wipers have wiped up the side faces of the shoe and closed over the shoe bottom.

Inthe drawings the toe rest is represented at 2 and the holddoig n at 4, the mechanism for relatively actuating these parts not being illustrated.

The toe wipers are indicated at 5 and the wiper holders at 6, the rising and falling wiper carrying head being indicated at 8 and the stud and curved slot connections between said head and the wiper holders arranged ,to produce simultaneous closing and advance of the wipers are indicated at 11'.

The upper holding device, as herein shown, comprises a bracket 10 rigidly attached to the head 8. A link 12 is pivotally connected to upstanding ears of the bracket and to ears on a head 14: of a rod 15 which is located approximately in the median line of the machine and extends backwardly from the toe lasting head over the shoe into a position to be engaged by the right hand of the operator while with his left hand he is manipulating the wipers to advance and close them. Upon the rod 15 is located sleeve 16 the upper end of which is formed with a handle and incloses a spring 18 which is confined between a shoulder in the sleeve and a nut 19 on the end of the rod 15 in such manner that it presses the sleeve toward the left in the drawings. The sleeve is formed integral with or attached to a yoke herein shown as a double yoke with a pair of depending arms 20 and a pair of upstanding arms 22, the sleeve being rotatable to bring either pair of arms alternatively into operative relation to the wipers. The ends of the arms 20 carry out- .wardly projecting studs about which are spirally wound the end portions of a spring wire or small resilient rod the extreme ends of the wire being hoo ed over the front edges of the arms 20, the body portion of the wire being bowed to extend in a curve approximating the curvature of the toe of the shoe.

The mounting for the wire 25, which is the upper engaging member of the holding device, is arranged to cause the middle portion of said member to project below the lower end of the arms 20 in such position that when the holding device is brought down upon the shoe by the movement per mitted by the pivotal link connection between parts 10 and 14:, said middle portion of member 25 first engages the upper and as downward pressure is applied by means of the handle the area of engagement spreads along the sides of the toe until substantially the entire bowed portion of member 25 comes into holding engagement with the upper as shown in Fig. 1. During this ap' plication of the holding device to the work, member 25 pinches the upper into the angle between the top face of the wipers 5 and the upstanding edge face of the wiper holder 6 so as firmly to grip and hold the upper, and the resilience of the member 25 enables it to adapt itself to the curvature of the wiper holders. As the wipers are raised to wipe up along the side faces of the toe the member 25 maintains the upper outspread and smooth while allowing it to slip between said member 25 and the wipers so that it is held up against the side faces of the last in a smooth, unwrinkled condition and in the same condition is drawn over the margin ofthe shoe bottom as shown in Fig. 1. hen the wipers advance and close in passing over the margin of the shoe bottom the member 25 together with the arms 20 and sleeve 16 are permitted to slide backwardly along the rod 15 against the resistance of spring 18 and such forward pressure as the operator in his judgment applies by the handle. The resilience of member 25 enables it to bend as the wipers close toward one another in wiping over the sides of the toe so that said device holds the upper smoothly over the top face ofthe wipers throughout the manipulation of the wipers to work the upper into lasted position. When this position has been reached the holding device is tipped forwardly about its connection with bracket 10 to lay over upon the toe lasting head in an out-of-the-way position.

It is contemplated that one pair of arms 20 will'support a member 25 adapted for one shape or size of toe and the other pair of arms will support a member 25 adapted for a different shape or widely different size of toe. The sleeve 16 with the arms 20,

22 can be turned through 180 on the rod 15 to bring either member 25 into operative position. A spring 24 located between the head 14: of the rod 15 and the arms 20, 22 provides friction to prevent loose rotation of the sleeve 16 and the rod 15.

Having explained the nature of this in vention and described a preferred construction embodying the same, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States 1. A toe lasting mechanism having, in combination, a toe lasting head, toe embracing wipers thereon, a rod pivotally connected to the lasting head in front of the wipers and extending backwardly over the shoe, a sleeve slidingly mounted on the rod and yieldingly pressed toward the toe lasting head, and a device mounted on the sleeve in position to grip the upper against the top face of the wipers.

2. A toe lasting mechanism having, in combination, a toe lasting head, toe embracing wipers, a bar extending lengthwise of a shoe which occupies position to be lasted in the machine, said bar being pivotally connected to the head in front of the shoe, and a foot depending from the bar and adapted to be held in clamping engagement with the marginal portion of the upper upon the wipers by pressure applied to the bar transversely of the length of the bar, said foot including a resilient upper engaging member adapted to be bent inwardly from opposite sides by the wipers in their closing movement.

3. A toe lasting mechanism having, in combination, toe embracing wipers adapted to advance and close over the end of a toe, .a toe lasting head supporting the wipers, and an upper holding device formed to grip the upper against the top face of the wipers and comprising a. foot and a supporting bar having a link connection with the toe last- 5 ing head through which upper clamping pressure is applied with provision for forward and backward movement with the wipers.

4. A toe lasting mechanism having, in combination, toe embracing wipers adapted to advance and close over the end of a toe, and an upper holding device comprising a resilient bowed wire arranged to grip the upper upon the wipers and to adapt itself to the changing curvature of the wipers as they open and close.

5. A toe lasting mechanism having, in combination, toe embracing wiping means adapted to advance and close over the end of the toe and presenting a shoulder substantially parallel with the acting edges of the wiping means, and an upper holding device comprising a resilient bowed w1re arranged to grip the upper upon the wiping means and against Said shoulder and to adapt 1tself to the changing curvature of the wiping means while said means open and close.

6. A toe lasting mechanism having, in combination, toe embracing wipers adapted to advance and close over the end of a toe, and an upper holding device comprising an operating member and an upper engaging member of resilient wire bowed to grip the upper upon the top face of the wipers and yieldingly connected to its support in position to engage the work first by the middle of its bowed portion and to have the area of engagement spread along the sides of the toe as upper gripping pressure is applied.

7. A toe lasting mechanism having, in

combination, toe embracing wipers, and an Y upper holding device pivotally supported in front of the wipersand having an operating arm extending backwardly over the shoe and a resilient upper engaging member supported at its ends and bowed to extend around the toe, said member being adapted to spring upwardly and inwardly during use.

8. A toe lasting mechanism having, in combination, toe embracing wipers, and an upper holding device pivotally supported in front of the wipers and having an operating arm extending backwardly over the shoe and an upper engaging member supported at its ends and bowed to extend around the toe and resiliently held in a position inclined downwardly and forwardly from its ends, substantially as described.

9. A toe lasting mechanism having, in combination, toe embracing wipers, an upper holding device pivotally supported in front of the wipers and having an operating arm extending backwardly over the shoe, a sleeve on said arm, a yoke on the sleeve having depending arms, and an upper engaging member having its ends attached to the yoke arms and its body portion bowed forwardly between the arms. I

10. A toe lasting mechanism having, in combination, toe embracing wipers, an upper holding device pivotally supported in front of the wipers and having an operating arm extending backwardly over the shoe, a sleeve on said arm, and yokes connected with the sleeve and having opposed pairs of arms and upper engaging members carried by the respective pairs of arms, the sleeve and yokes being rotatable to present either engaging member alternatively to the work.

11. A toe lasting mechanism having, in

12. A toe lasting mechanism having, in combination, toe embracing wipers, an upper holding device pivotally supported in front of the wipers and having an operating arm extending backwardly over the shoe, asleeve movable endwise on said arm, a spring pressing the sleeve forwardly, and an upper holding member connected to the sleeve to be pressed downwardly by force applied through the arm and forwardly by the spring.

13. A toe lasting mechanism having, in combination, toe embracing wipers arranged to close over the sides of a shoe toe, holders for the wipers presenting upstanding faces on the top faces of the wipers, and a device bowed to hold the upper in the angle between the holder and wiper faces and resilient to bend as the wipers close and thereby grip the upper with increasing force at the sides of the toe as the wipers are being closed over the sides of the toe.

14. A toe lasting mechanism having, in combination, toe embracing wipers arranged for advancing and closing movement over the toe of a shoe, a bowed upper-holding device adapted to grip the upper upon the wipers, said holding device comprising an upper engaging member which is resilient to resist yieldinglylateral compression by the closing movement of the wipers, a pivotally supported sustaining rod, a sleeve carrying said member and mounted on the rod, and a spring arranged to act against the holding device in the direction to resist yieldingly movement of the engaging mem her by and with the advancing movement of the wipers.

15. A toe lasting mechanism having, in combination, toe embracing wipers arranged for advancing and closing movement over the toe of a shoe, a bowed upper-holding device adapted to grip the upper upon the wipers, and resilient means against the re sistance of which said device .may be moved by and with the wipers as they advance.

16. A toe lasting mechanism having, in combination, toe embracing wipers arranged for advancing and closing movement over the toe of a shoe, and a resilient bowed upper-holding device adapted to grip the upper upon the wipers, said holding device having provision for contracting movement against yielding resistance by and with the wipers in their closing movement.

17. A toe lasting mechanism having, in combination, toe embracing wipers arranged for advancing and closing movement over the toe of a shoe, and an upper-holding de vice cooperating therewith which is resilient upwardly and inwardly to allow it to adapt itself vertically to the different portions of the upper engaged by it and to conform to the size of the shoe being operated upon.

18. A toe lasting mechanism having, in combination, toe embracing wipers arranged for advancing and closing movement over the toe of a shoe, toe lasting head supporting the wipers, and a flexible upper-holding device mounted on said head for movement into upper-holding position by engagement first with the upperjin the middle of the toe and operated by an advancing and spreading movement laterally over the upper to lay it out flat and smooth upon the top face of the wipers and to give up the upper in smooth condition so that the upper is laid bythe wipers free from wrinkles into lasted position over the edge of the shoe bottom.

19. A toe lasting mechanism having, in combination, toe embracing wipers arranged for advancing and closing movements over the toe of a shoe, and a bowed upper-holding device adapted to be pressed down upon the upper to grip the upper upon the wipers and constructed to yield to prevent eXcessiVe pressure being put upon the upper to oppose theoverwiping force exerted by the wipers whereby bowing of the tip seam is prevented.

20. A toe lasting mechanism having, in combination, toe embracing wipers arranged for advancing and closing movements over the toe of a shoe, and a bowed upper-holding device adapted to grip the upper upon the wipers by pressure applied manually, said holding device being constructed and arranged to yield as the wipers close and ad vance to limit and distribute the holding force applied thereby to the upper.-

21. A toe lasting mechanism having, in combination, toe embracing wipers arranged for upward wiping movement to wipe the upper upwardly against the last at the sides and end of the toe and for advancing and closing movements to last the upper over the shoe bottom, means for effecting said move ments, and an upwardly resilient upperholding device pivotally supported in front of the wipers and having an. operative arm extending backwardly over the shoe whereby the holding device may be operated to press the upper with force limited by the resiliency of said device against the wipers and will hold it there during the operation of the wipers in wiping up and lasting the upper.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN WV. RYBERG. lVitnesses:

Gno. N. GonnoN, CHAS. H. MINES.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by address ng the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, 30.1). 

